Big names fell early and unexpected teams broke through to steal the spotlight on Day 1 of U.S. Open mixed doubles play, headlining an electric opener packed with upsets and standout performances.
Over two action-packed days, 16 teams battled for a shot at the $1 million grand prize — one of the richest purses in mixed doubles history. Now, only four remain, advancing to the semifinals and championship match set for Wednesday.
Bracket
No. 1 Jessica Pegula / Jack Draper vs. Emma Raducanu / Carlos AlcarazOlga Danilovic / Novak Djokovic vs. Mirra Andreeva / Daniil MedvedevNo. 3 Iga Swiatek / Casper Ruud vs. Madison Keys / Frances TiafoeNaomi Osaka / Gael Monfils vs. Caty McNally / Lorenzo MusettiKaterina Siniakova / Jannik Sinner vs. Belinda Bencic / Alexander ZverevTaylor Townsend / Ben Shelton vs. No. 4 Amanda Anisimova / Holger RuneVenus Williams / Reilly Opelka vs. Karolina Muchova / Andrey RublevSara Errani / Andrea Vavassori vs. No. 2 Elena Rybakina / Taylor Fritz
Results after Day 1
No. 1 Jessica Pegula / Jack Draper defeated Emma Raducanu / Carlos Alcaraz 4-2, 4-2Mirra Andreeva / Daniil Medvedev defeated Olga Danilovic / Novak Djokovic 4-2, 5-3No. 3 Iga Swiatek / Casper Ruud defeated Madison Keys / Frances Tiafoe 4-1, 4-2Caty McNally / Lorenzo Musetti defeated Naomi Osaka / Gael Monfils 5-3, 4-2
First round (Bottom half)
Danielle Collins / Christian Harrison defeated Belinda Bencic / Alexander Zverev 4-0, 5-3Taylor Townsend / Ben Shelton defeated No. 4 Amanda Anisimova / Holger Rune 4-2, 4-5Karolina Muchova / Andrey Rublev defeated Venus Williams / Reilly Opelka 4-2, 5-4Sara Errani / Andrea Vavassori defeated No. 2 Elena Rybakina / Taylor Fritz 4-2, 4-2Sara Errani / Andrea Vavassori defeated Karolina Muchova / Andrey Rublev 4-1, 4-5No. 3 Iga Swiatek / Casper Ruud defeated Caty McNally / Lorenzo Musetti 4-1, 4-2Danielle Collins / Christian Harrison defeated Taylor Townsend / Ben Shelton 4-1, 5-4No. 1 Jessica Pegula / Jack Draper defeated Mirra Andreeva / Daniil Medvedev 4-1, 4-1
Semifinals at Arthur Ashe Stadium – Wednesday, Aug. 20
No. 1 Jessica Pegula / Jack Draper vs. No. 3 Iga Swiatek / Casper Ruud Danielle Collins / Christian Harrison vs. Sara Errani / Andrea Vavassori
Notable Matches
No. 1 Seeds Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper Cruise Through Day 1
After cruising past the dream team of Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz in the first round, 4-2, 4-2, the American-British duo of Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper faced off against Mirra Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev, who were coming off a stunning win over Novak Djokovic and Olga Danilovic 4-2, 5-3.
Undeterred by their opponents’ momentum, Pegula and Draper held strong, dispatching Andreeva and Medvedev in straight sets, 4-1, 4-1, to secure their spot in Wednesday’s semifinals — proving once again why they’re the tournament’s No. 1 seeds.
Fan Favorite Naomi Osaka and Gaël Monfils Fall in First Round
McNally and Musetti defeated fan favorites Osaka and Monfils, 5-3, 4-2, in the first-ever U.S. Open Mixed Doubles Championship match played at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
After a shaky start from both teams, McNally and Musetti found their rhythm, breaking Monfils’ serve for a 3-2 lead and holding on to take the first set. They capitalized on late errors in the second, breaking again at 3-2 and closing out the match with a comeback hold to advance.
Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz Wow Crowd Despite Loss to No. 1 seeds
The Spanish-English duo of Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz faced off against top seeds Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper on Tuesday in the first round of U.S. Open Mixed Doubles play. Despite falling in straight sets, 4-2, 4-2, the young pair delivered some of the day’s most exciting moments.
The duo laughed and smiled throughout the match, feeding off the energy of an unorthodox, lively crowd that was clearly enjoying the show. They may not have won the match, but they certainly won over the fans.
Venus Williams and Reilly Opelka Fall in First round
Four-time Olympic gold medalist and former world No. 1 Venus Williams saw her U.S. Open Mixed Doubles campaign come to an early end Tuesday, falling in straight sets alongside fellow American Reilly Opelka.
The American pair was outplayed by the European duo of Karolina Muchova (Czech Republic) and Andrey Rublev (Russia), who capitalized on an early break of Williams’ serve to take the opening set 4-2.
The second set remained on serve until 3-all, when Williams again faced pressure at 15-40. Urged on by a roaring New York crowd, she and Opelka fought back to hold and go up 4-3. But Muchova held easily to force a tiebreak, where she and Rublev closed out the match, 7-4.
Last-Minute Substitutes Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison Impress with Run to Semifinals
Jannik Sinner and partner Katerina Siniakova were forced to withdraw from the tournament at the last minute after Sinner fell ill, paving the way for Americans Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison to step in.
Collins and Harrison made an immediate impact, dominating their opening match with a 4-0 first set over Belinda Bencic and Alexander Zverev. The second set was more competitive, but the American duo closed it out 5-3 to complete the straight-sets win.
Collins and Harrison rolled through the first set of their quarterfinal, 4-1, before Townsend and Shelton battled back to tie the second at 4-4. But the late additions held firm in a tight deciding set, sealing the win and capping an impressive debut day with a trip to the semifinals.
The U.S. Open Mixed Doubles semifinals and final are set for Wednesday, with a start time scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET.
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